Cortical EEG recordings can be obscured in patients who are tense and anxious due to?

Cortical EEG recordings in patients who are tense and anxious can be obscured due to myogenic artifact. This type of artifact occurs when muscle activity generates electrical signals that are picked up by the EEG electrodes. When a patient is tense or anxious, they are likely to exhibit increased muscle tension, leading to more muscle activity in areas such as the scalp and neck. The electrical signals from this muscle activity can interfere with the brain's electrical signals being recorded, causing distortions in the EEG tracing. This contamination can mask or mimic potential abnormalities that the EEG is intended to detect, making it crucial for EEG technologists to recognize and minimize these artifacts for accurate interpretation of the recording.